Medieval Sourcebook:
Sacraments: A Confirmation Scene
from Eadmer, Life of St. Anselm (lib. II, c. iv,
# 38.)
Although confirmation came to be included among the seven sacraments,
it was not necessarily widely available to parishioners, especially
in the large dioceses of Northern Europe. Here is an account of
Anselm of Canterbury in which his willingness to confirm is seen
s a mark of holiness. Coulton adds this note " The medieval
bishops had no settled times or places for confirming. It was
usual for the people to try to catch them like this on their way
through the district. It was frequently complained that maxiy
folk died thus unconfirmed. Archbishop Peckham complained in 1281
that there were ` numberless people grown old in evil days who
had not yet received the grace of confirmation.'"
ANSELM, therefore, set out from Wissant early on the morrow, and
came after certain days to St Omer, where he was received with
joy by clergy and monks, and detained for five days; during which
time, at the prayer of the canons, he consecrated an altar. After
which there came to him certain honourable men of those parts,
kneeling at his feet and beseeching him to confirm their children
by the laying on of hands and anointing with sacred oil. To whom
he made answer forthwith: "Not only will I gladly receive
those for whom ye pray in this matter, but others also who present
themselves shall not be rejected." They, marvelling at the
great man's benignity in so easy a condescension, were rejoiced
above measure and gave him thanks; and, when their children had
been confirmed, they forthwith filled the whole city with the
words which they had received from his lips. Then might ye see
men and women, great and small, pouring forth from their houses
and outrunning each other in their haste to reach bur lodging
and share in so great a sacrament; for it was now many years since
any bishop had suffered himself to be employed in any such office
among them. At last, on the sixth day, when he had already confirmed
an innumerable multitude, and we were on the point of setting
forth, and the long journey of this day compelled us to hasten,
behold! a maiden came into the house as we were leaving it to
mount our horses, and besought with lamentable affection of piety
that she might be confirmed. Some of our companions, hearing this,
were grievously troubled, and beat her down with contradictions,
as folk who were already wearied with such matters. In short,
though the holy man would have condescended to the maiden's prayers,
yet t6ese held him back and persuaded him to turn a deaf ear unto
her, objecting the length of that day's journey, and the many
perils which commonly threaten travellers by night, especially
in a strange country; and showing that very many stood at the
door intent upon this same matter, ready to burst in if he granted
this one request. But when he had gone a little forward, then
the father bethought himself what reasons he had followed and
what he had done; whereupon, accusing himself grievous impiety,
he was so cut to the heart with that, for all the rest of his
life on earth (as he often confessed) repentance for that deed
n I ever departed from his mind.
From C.G. Coulton, ed, Life in the Middle Ages, (New York:
Macmillan, c.1910), Vol 1, 14-15
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(c)Paul Halsall August 1996
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